Global report urges more accurate definition of obesity than BMI

Currently, in many countries, obesity is defined as having a BMI over 30, external – a measurement that estimates body fat based on height and weight.

Access to weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro is often restricted to patients in this category.

In many parts of the UK, the NHS also requires people to have a weight-related health condition.

But BMI reveals nothing about a patient’s overall health, the report says, and fails to distinguish between muscle and body fat or account for the more dangerous fat around the waist and organs.

The experts argue for a new model that looks at signs of obesity affecting organs in the body – such as heart disease, breathlessness, type 2 diabetes or joint pain – and their damaging impact on daily life.

This indicates obesity has become a clinical disease and needs drug treatment.

Those with ‘pre-clinical obesity’, however, instead of drugs and surgery, should be offered weight-loss advice, counselling and monitoring to reduce the chances of health problems developing. Treatment may also be necessary.